[17 April 1918]

The provinces of Kursk, Orel, Tula, Voronezh, the Don Cossack territory, and the Crimea—even according to a unilateral declaration of the Kiev Rada, reproduced and confirmed in a Radio transmission of the German Government of 29 March2—are part of the Russian Federative Soviet Republic. In view of this, military operations conducted in Ukraine must not extend to their territory. Troops of both belligerent sides crossing onto this territory are therefore subject to immediate unconditional disarmament.

This directive must be transmitted by local Sovdepi to the commanders of military units for immediate implementation.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin).